Middlesex County Legal Resources

Middlesex County Drug Crime Lawyer

The last thing you want is to be convicted of a drug-related crime. Find out how to build a powerful defense to beat your charges by working with a Middlesex County drug crime lawyer.

After you’ve been arrested for a drug-related offense, it’s important to do everything you can to clear your name. A conviction will likely mean a steep fine and time in prison or jail, and there are a number of negative consequences that will follow you around even after you’ve served your sentence.

Drug offenses are often aggressively prosecuted. Even if your arrest was the result of a misunderstanding or a first offense, the prosecution isn’t going to go easy on you.

You don’t have to be victimized by New Jersey’s harsh drug laws, however. By working with a Middlesex County drug crime lawyer from Clark, Clark & Noonan, LLC., LLC, you can build the defense that will give you the best chance of getting your charges dismissed or of winning a full acquittal in court.

New Jersey and Drug Crimes

Developing the best defense means fully understanding the charges against you. New Jersey recognizes a number of different drug-related crimes, and which you are charged with often depends on where the crime is alleged to have taken place, the quantity of the drug involved, and even who else was involved.

These are just a few of the crimes that our drug crime attorneys have experience defending against:

Possession of a controlled substance

Drug manufacturing and cultivation

Drug trafficking

Drug distribution and selling

While possession is generally the least serious of these drug crimes, it can easily escalate if a large enough quantity of the drug was present. If you were arrested near a school or other public place, you might also be charged with possession with intent to distribute, which is a more serious offense.

The Specific Controlled Substance Will Make a Difference

Which controlled substance was involved in your charges will make a huge impact on the penalties you face. Drugs, whether illegal or prescription, are generally broken up into different classifications known as “schedules.”

Generally speaking, the higher the schedule of the drug involved, the harsher the penalties. For example, an arrest involving heroin will generally result in more serious consequences than an arrest for a similar amount of Valium.

Marijuana is an exception to this rule. While the federal government regards marijuana as a schedule I drug, New Jersey treats it as a less dangerous—but still serious—controlled substance.

Possessing, manufacturing, transporting, or selling any of the following substances could result in being charged with a serious drug offense:

Heroin

Cocaine

Methamphetamine

Psychedelic mushrooms

Marijuana

Opium

Prescription drugs such as Ambien, OxyContin, hydrocodone, and morphine

Legal Penalties for Drug Charges

While New Jersey doesn’t recognize crimes as felonies and misdemeanors, it does have a similar system. Minor drug offenses are categorized as disorderly person charges, while more serious drug crimes are considered indictable offenses that will require a grand jury to formally charge.

Disorderly person offenses can include paraphernalia charges and the possession of small amounts of controlled substances. These charges can result in up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

Indictable offenses, on the other hand, carry the strictest penalties available under New Jersey law. For a fourth-degree offense, you’ll be facing a prison sentence of up to eighteen months and up to a $10,000 fine.

A first-degree offense, the most serious possible, could result in life in prison, but is more likely to lead to a prison sentence of between ten and thirty years and up to a $200,000 fine.

It’s important to note that New Jersey does have mandatory minimum sentencing for certain offenses, and your Middlesex County drug crime lawyer can help you determine what you’re likely to be up against.

Additional Consequences of a Drug Conviction

A conviction for a drug offense will result in a negative stigma that can be impossible to shed. You’ll always have to answer “yes” on every application that asks if you’ve ever been convicted of a crime.

This can make it incredibly difficult to find a good job, reasonable housing, and a decent loan. Additionally, you might be put on probation that will require mandatory drug testing or substance abuse programs.

These are repercussions that continue long after the fine has been paid and the sentence served. This is why it’s so important to fight your drug charges—which is where we come in.

Our firm will never give up on your case. We won’t back down, and we’ll fight to get your name cleared so that you can get back to living your life as it was before you were arrested.

Middlesex County Drug Crime FAQ

An arrest for a drug charge will inevitably leave you with a number of questions and concerns. We’ve addressed a few common ones here, but please don’t hesitate to contact us for information as it directly applies to your specific case.

Will I go to prison for a first drug-related offense?

If you are convicted, then it’s certainly possible, especially if mandatory minimum sentencing applies to your case. A first offense might make a lenient sentence more likely—often involving some sort of substance abuse program—but you should always determine if a full dismissal or acquittal is possible first.

I thought marijuana was legal in New Jersey; why was I arrested and charged with possession?

Marijuana is only legal for medicinal use in New Jersey and requires a prescription. If you were caught with marijuana in your possession and didn’t have a prescription, you’ll be charged with a drug crime.

What if the search and seizure that led to my drug charge was unlawful?

If the police officers who conducted the search either didn’t have probable cause or didn’t first obtain a warrant, then the search may have been unlawful. This could lead to the drugs seized being declared as inadmissible as evidence, which could make it much easier to beat your charges.

Contact a Middlesex County Drug Charge Lawyer

When you’ve been charged with a drug crime, you should immediately start developing a defense to combat the charges against you. A criminal record will haunt you for the rest of your life, and the sentencing can be incredibly harsh.

Let Clark, Clark & Noonan, LLC., LLC help you clear your name. A Middlesex County drug crime lawyer from our firm will never give up on your case. To discover how we can help you, simply schedule a free and confidential consultation to discuss your case in detail. Just complete the form on this page or call 732-303-7857.